South Korea resumes live-fire drills near border with North Korea

South Korea said Tuesday it has resumed live-fire drills near its border with North Korea for the first time in six years, following the recent suspension of a bilateral military pact signed in 2018 to reduce tensions.

The South Korean military said the firepower drills took place at artillery ranges located less than five kilometers from the military demarcation line, with a focus on strengthening its response capabilities in the event of enemy provocation.

The move comes after South Korea suspended the entire “September 19 military agreement” on June 4, following the North's resumption of numerous balloon launches carrying trash over the border in late May.

The 2018 agreement between then-South Korean President Moon Jae In and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stipulated that the two nations would cease all hostile acts against each other.

The pact was partially suspended by Seoul last November after Pyongyang launched a military spy satellite. In response, North Korea said it would restore all military measures suspended after the deal.

The South Korean military resumed live-fire drills on islands near the Northern Limit Line, the de facto maritime border between the two countries, for the first time in about seven years. The Northern Limit Line was drawn by U.S.-led U.N. forces after the 1950-53 Korean War.

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